3 'armed and dangerous' individuals sought after C.B.S. death, home invasion

Newfoundland police are searching for three "armed and dangerous" individuals one day after a violent home invasion and suspicious death shocked people in the town of Conception Bay South, N.L.

• Victim found dead in Conception Bay South driveway had been abducted, police say

The smell of smoke was still in the air Sunday as police investigated a fire at a home in the Seal Cove areaof the town, which is near the capital, St. John's.That's where the Royal Newfoundland Constabularybelieve a series of crimesbegan.

RNC Const.GeoffHigdonsaidpoliceresponded to a 911 hang-upat a home in Seal Cove at around 4:10 a.m. on Saturday.

"When we arrived on scenewe found that the home was engulfed in flames," Higdon said, adding that a female outside the home when they arrived had sustained minor injuries because of the fire.

After a preliminary investigation, Higdonsaid police now believe thatthree masked individuals armed with weapons enteredthehome,assaulted and thenabducted a man who lived there.

The Conception Bay Southman, aged 25, wasfounddead approximately four hours later in theBayviewHeights subdivision.

Higdon said the assailants may have known the victim.

"We do believe that the home invasion, the fire, the death and of course the kidnapping areall connected in the same incident," said Higdon.

Higdonsaid policeare alsoinvestigating an apparent stabbing in the nearby townof Paradise thatoccurredearly Saturday morning as a separate incident, but are not "ruling out thepossibility that they [the two incidents] may be connected."

Two witnesses, who wished not to be identified,told CBC News they saw a bloodied and bald man wearing only a pair of black shorts lying in adriveway in Bayview Heights onSaturday morning at around 8a.m.

Higdonsaid policedo not believe the home invasion was a random act of violence and that they have not established a link between the dead man and the home where his body was found.

Police said they are awaiting an autopsy and still investigating the incident.

Anyonewith information on the crime is urgedto come forward and contact the police force.